Kansas City Royals: Catching up With Chase Vallot

This is the second part of our three-player interview series. Today’s interview subject is Kansas City Royals prospect, catcher Chase Vallot. Below is some background information on Chase and the interview I was lucky enough to conduct. Enjoy! 

You can check out an interview with Chase that was conducted 9 months ago on Kings of Kauffman here.

A former first-round pick (40th overall) in the 2014 MLB June Amateur Draft, the bar has always been set high for Chase Vallot. With some of the best raw power in the entire farm system, Vallot is one of the more intriguing prospects the Royals have seen in a while. Looking at his numbers as a whole may not blow you away but when digging deeper, it’s easy to see why the franchise is enamored with his talent.

Hitting .219 with an OBP (on-base percentage) of .331 in his second professional season, Vallot displayed his great ability to draw walks. Adding 13 home runs, the power potential was evident. The following season with Lexington (Level A), he launched another 13 balls out of the park while improving his average and OBP to .246 and .367, respectively. In 89 games of A+ baseball in 2017, Vallot hit 12 home runs while posting a minor-league career-high .380 OBP in 89 games. Let’s get to the interview!

Q: Does being such a high draft pick still carry any pressure for you?

A: “Ugh, I wouldn’t say so. I’m just another normal baseball player.”

Q: You’ve been compared to Mike Napoli in the past, but over the years have you started to look up to any other catchers?

A: “Salvador Perez, Buster Posey.”

Q: Are you looking forward to potentially moving to a more hitter-friendly ballpark at Arvest instead of playing in the tough environment at Wilmington?

A: “It would definitely help but I just want to be able to play ball wherever I’m at.”

Q: What’s the biggest challenge you face as a player?

A: “Learning how to slow the game down and when going through a slump, trying to stay positive.”

Q: What’s one goal you’ve set for yourself this season?

"A: “I’m going to play a full season this year and I’m gonna make the All-Star Game wherever I’m at.”"

Q: What sets the Royals organization apart from any other?

A: “There are so many things that I can say. The most important thing for me is how everybody cares for each other and everybody wants what’s best for everybody. The coaching staff and front office are unbelievably amazing.”

"“It makes coming to the field everyday fun and exciting.”"

Q: Use one word to describe yourself?

A: “Perfectionist.”

I’d like to thank Chase Vallot for participating in this interview. Not only does it help us at Kings of Kauffman provide great content for you, our readers, but it also gives everyone involved a peek into the personal side of baseball players. If he continues to progress and mature how he has been thus far in his minor-league career, expect to see Chase Vallot at Kauffman Stadium within the next few years. Get an outfield seat, because he might hit a ball or two out there while you’re at the ballpark.

You can follow Chase on Twitter @Chase_Vallot

Next: Catching up With Ryan O'Hearn

Our final interview is an updated conversation with infield prospect Nicky Lopez. Stay tuned for that, Royals fans! Let us know if you liked this interview by commenting or starting a discussion on our social media!